Electric sign



M. J. CARBONI.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12 1920.

' 1,393,008. Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

I I III MATTHEW J. GARBONI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

Specificationof Letters latent. Patented O t 11 1921 Applicationfile'd'November 12, 1920. Serial No. 423,590.

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, MA'r rHnw J. Cannon,citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New Yorlg have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Signs, of which the following is aspecification. I I This invention relates generally to Aid vertisingdevices and particularly to the kindlniown as illuminated signs.

The objects of my invention are to provide an inexpensive sign havingreadily ex changeable characters for the purpose of varying the wording,and means whereby the expense of illuminating the sign 1s reduced to aminimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide in connection with such asign two sets of adjustable reflectors, one of which being adapted toreflect the light from the light source in a substantially verticalplane toward the sign characters} the other set adapted to reflect thelight from top and bottom toward said characters. Another object of myinvention is to provide in connection with such reflectors, meanswhereby the latter may be adjusted at desired angles respective to thecharacters so as to utilize the light of the light source at maximumefliciency.

The foregoing and still further objects will be fully understood fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis specificatlon and in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of a sign showing the exchangeablecharacters.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view therethrough taken on line 2-2 f Fig. 3. i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. dis a sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig.1. i Fig. 5 is adetail view showing the arrangement of a transverse member supporting asubstantially vertically disposed rewhich are provided supports orguides 2 for glidably engaging sign characters 3. These characters mayhe slid from either side of the casing. By changing these charactersvarious 'words may be formed.

The character plates are preferably made of solid, non-transparentbases, from which are cut out the desired characters. The cut outportion is preferably filled with a transparent substance as glass.porcelain or the like, indicated at a. At the bottom of the casing, anddisposed centrally between its sides, a'longitudinal guide 5 is providedwherein ride adjustable sockets 6 in which a light source 7 is mounted.At the top and bottom in near proximity to the characters. a set oflongitudinal parallel guides 8 are provided wherein slide, by means ofguide bars 9, vertical or transverse connecting members 10. Adjustablymounted upon the latter are reflectors 11 provided at their center witha swivel joint 12 forming part of a tubular member 13, which may slideupon vertical connecting member 10 and can be attached thereto atanyposition by means of thu1nb-screw 14. Due to the swivel jointconnection, the reflectors, which are preferably cylindrically curved,may beset at any desired angle respective to the characters 3.Reflectors 11 are'substantially parallel with the long side of thecharacters. Parallel to guides 8 is a set of longitudinal connectingmembers 15, u 30H which are glidably mounted sleeves 13, provided with aset screw let and a swivel joint 12 which support another set ofcylindrically curved reflectors 11.

The latter are preferably disposed substantially parallel with the shortside of the characters 3 and may be set at any desired angle respectiveto the latter.

A preferred form of mysign is shown in the drawings where the lightsource is disposed centrally between two pairs, of opposite" disposedcharacters so that the light source is intermediate between at least twoadjacent characters at each side of the sign.

. ue vertical reflectors are preferably disposed near the extreme longsides of the two adjacent characters so as to throw the light in asubstantially vertical plane against the latter. Theupper and lowerreflectors 11 are inclined to concentrate the light against theirrespective characters from top and bottom, and for this purpose they aresomewhat inclined toward each other as shown in Fig. In this manner asign unit of two respectively four characters is created, lighted by onelight source.

Y the light from top and bottom toward the respective upper and lowerhalves of the characters, In this manner the light is directed throughthe transparent-part 4 of the characters thereby causing the latter tobe visible at dark.

It is obvious that the drawings represent merely preferred forms ofconstruction of my device, and that modifications or changes may bereadily made within the broad scope of my invention. In view of the factthat signs are built for various requirements, I reserve for myselftheright to make such changes as will be necessary to simplify theirmanufacture and modify their form and construction in accordance withsuch re quirements.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign, comprising in combination, a

casing, exchangeable, transparent characters arranged at both facesthereof, means for supporting said characters, a set of longitudinalparallel guides disposed in pairs at top and bottom and extending overthe entire length of the casing, transverse connecting members ghdablyassociated with sa1d guides, cylindrically curved reflectors adjustablymounted upon said connecting members and adapted tobe'set at any desiredangle respective to said characters, a set of longitudinal guide membersdisposed in pairs at top and bottom of said casing, a plurality ofcylindrically curved reflectors adjustably mounted upon said members andadapted to be set at any desired angle respective to said characters, anadjustably mounted light source arranged at the bottom of said casing,said first mentioned reflectors being disposed in such a way as toreflect the light from said ource in a substantially vertical planetoward said characters, the latter mentioned reflectors adapted toreflect light from the top and bottom toward said characters.

2. An illuminated sign, comprising in combination, a casing having opensides, exchangeable characters adapted to close said open sides, a lightsource disposed near the bottom of the casing intermediate between saidcharacters, a set of longitudinal guides at top and bottom of saidcasing,

transverse connecting members adjustably mounted in said guides,cylindrically curved reflectors disposed substantially parallel with thelong side of said characters, adjustably attached to said connectingmembers and adapted to be set at any desired angle respective to saidcharacters, a'set of longitudinal guidemembers disposed at top andbottom within the casing, a plurality of cylindrically curved reflectorsslidably attached thereto and adapted to reflect light from top andbottom toward said characters, substantially as described.

3. An illuminated slgn, comprising in combination, a casing,exchangeablecharacters at both sides thereof, an adjustable light sourcewithin the casing, a set of adjustable, substantially verticallydisposed reflectors, aset of adjustable, substantially horizontallydisposed reflectors, both sets of reflectors grouped within the casingand adapted to reflect light from the light source in a substantiallyvertical plane and from top and bottom, respectively, toward saidcharacters. i

4;. In an illuminated sign, a casing, transparent characters at bothsides thereof, an adjustable light source within the casing centrallydisposed between two opposite pairs of said characters, adjustablereflectors provided at the outer length sides of each pair ofcharacters, adjustable reflectors provided at top and bottom of eachindividual character, said reflectors adapted to reflect the light fromthe light source, respectively, in a substantially vertical plane, andfrom top and bottom toward said transparent characters.

5. An illuminated sign, comprising in,

combination, a casing, a slidably mounted adjustable light source, agroupof transparent characters disposed at two sides thereof, a set ofreflectors disposed at both longitudinal sides of each of said charactergroups, a set of other reflectors disposed at top and bottom ofeach'individual character, both sets of reflectors adapted to reflectthelight from the light source toward said characters.

6. In a sign, an exchangeable transparent character, an adjustable lightsource, a set of substantially longitudinally disposed reflectors,anotherset of substantially transversely disposed reflectors, saidreflectors grouped and set around the character and adapted toreflectthe light toward the characters, respectively, from both sides,the top and bottom.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this6th

